By Abbas Nazil
No fewer than 36,000 young Nigerians are expected to benefit from a nationwide agricultural mechanisation training programme introduced by TracTrac Mechanisation Services Limited.
The initiative, known as Young People in Mechanisation, is designed to provide hands on training for youths between the ages of 18 and 35, focusing on agricultural machinery operations, agribusiness entrepreneurship, innovation, leadership development and sector advocacy.
TracTrac Mechanisation Services Limited said the programme is intended to address the shortage of technical expertise in mechanised farming and to increase youth participation in agriculture by creating a new generation of skilled service providers and industry leaders.
The company described the project as Nigeria’s first large scale youth focused mechanisation movement, aimed at transforming agriculture from a traditional labour intensive practice into a technology driven and commercially viable sector.
Chief Executive Officer of TracTrac MSL, Godson Ohuruogu, said the initiative is built on the belief that mechanisation should be accessible to all farmers rather than limited to a privileged few with access to expensive equipment.
He stated that through a combination of technology deployment, policy engagement, financial inclusion strategies and partnerships, the company is building an ecosystem that supports both service delivery and long term capacity development in the agricultural sector.
Ohuruogu urged young Nigerians to take an active role in shaping the future of agriculture, stressing that they should not only observe changes in the sector but become central drivers of innovation and productivity.
The company disclosed that it has developed one of the largest mechanisation networks in Nigeria, serving over 500,000 smallholder farmers through more than 6,000 Mechanisation Service Providers operating across multiple states.
It also noted that it has deployed over 800 tractors nationwide to expand access to mechanised farming services and reduce dependence on manual labour in agricultural production.
TracTrac added that its digital platform, TracTrac Plus, has become a key tool for connecting farmers with service providers in real time, improving efficiency and transparency in mechanisation service delivery.
The platform also enables asset tracking, farm mapping and demand aggregation, helping to match farmers with available machinery and reducing delays in farm operations.
According to the company, the application has recorded over 5,000 downloads and facilitated more than 2,000 mechanisation service transactions since its launch, reflecting growing adoption among farmers and service providers.
The firm attributed its expansion to four core principles including accessibility, availability, affordability and capacity building, which it said ensure that mechanisation services reach farmers at the right time and at sustainable costs.
TracTrac also revealed that it is actively contributing to the development of the draft National Agricultural Mechanisation Policy, a five year framework aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s mechanisation ecosystem through private sector participation and innovation.
The proposed policy focuses on sustainable land use, human capital development, local manufacturing of machinery, climate smart agriculture and increased access to financing for farmers and service providers.
The company said it is collaborating with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, the National Centre for Agricultural Mechanisation and other stakeholders to enhance investment in the sector and improve productivity.
TracTrac is also involved in the Mastercard Foundation supported initiative on improving smallholder farmers’ access to mechanisation services, which trains youth led service providers and deploys them to rural communities.
Agriculture stakeholders continue to identify inadequate mechanisation as a major constraint to food production in Nigeria, calling for stronger investment in equipment, training and supportive policies to improve food security and attract more young people into farming.
